Method and system for process controlling of plants in an opc-ua based machine-to-machine network

Abstract

A method for process controlling of plants and plant control systems in an OPC UA based Machine-to-Machine (M2M) network is provided. A plant associated with the plant control system a plurality of interlocked elements of one or more operational units of the plant. The operation of an operational unit is controlled by the plant control system using the elements interlocked to the plant control system. The plant control system is accessible by an independent process control system in the Machine-to-Machine (M2M) network via one or more network interfaces, and wherein messages containing signaling data and steering commands are transmitted between the process control system and the plant control system.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This patent application is a National Stage Entry of PCT / EP2015 / 080559 filed on Dec. 18, 2015, which claims the benefit and priority of Switzerland Patent Application No. 00446 / 15 filed on Mar. 27, 2015, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety as part of the present application.BACKGROUND[0002]The present disclosure generally relates to the field of electronic process control. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a secure architecture for a platform independent executing of process control operation and applications. Most particularly, the present disclosure relates to process controlling of network devices, in particular plant and plant systems, in an OPC-UA based Machine-to-Machine (M2M) network and to platform independent steering of plant control systems, wherein a plant associated with the plant control system includes a plurality of interlocked elements of one or more operation...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a new system for controlling and automating plants using a combination of local suppliers and standard platforms. This reduces costs and allows for flexibility in adapting to changing market demands. The system can be accessed remotely and can control processes and make changes in real-time. It also simplifies planning and maintenance of the control system and reduces the need for maintenance personnel. The system includes an adaptable human machine interface that allows for easy customization and interaction with the plant control system. Overall, the system provides an efficient and flexible way to control and automate plants.

Problems solved by technology

As a consequence, the complexity and degree of control over a process was limited by the speed with which a human could ascertain a present status of various process state variables, compare the current status to a desired operating level, calculate a corrective action (if needed), and implement a change to a control point to affect a change to a state variable.

Furthermore, less flexible supervisory process control and manufacturing information system offerings require designers of process control installations to take into consideration the long-term requirements of an application because of the relative inflexibility of the application to modifications once it is installed.

Such application inflexibility of plant control systems is undesirable though at the present point inevitable in the conservative industrial control systems market.

The process control industry tends to pilot, and often the designers are not fully aware of the full extent and form of the automation that will ultimately be incorporated in a final installation.

In prior art systems, the whole mostly manufacturer-specific plant control systems has to be costly rebuild by programming experts of the specific manufacturer.

A PLC is a so-called hard real-time system since output results must be produced in response to input conditions within a limited time, otherwise unintended operation will result.

However, for more complex processes, there were hundreds or thousands needed of them, and the process for updating such facilities for the yearly model change-over was immensely time consuming and expensive, as electricians needed to individually rewire the relays to change their operational characteristics.

Though, a machine can need a wall covered by relays to control all of its functions, this basic technology is almost completely failure resistant.

There are only a few limitations and disadvantage to this type of machine control, as (i) relays failure, (ii) the delay when the relay turns on / off, and (iii) there is a huge amount of relays needed to design / wire / troubleshoot.

However, also PLCs have disadvantages.

It is a major disadvantage of the prior art system, that especially for inexperienced PLC operators or programmer, it is quasi impossible to keep the nomenclature straight from manufacturer to manufacturer.

So much the worst, if even only very simple parts have to be replaced, complemented, cut down or scaled, expensive operators form the manufacturer have to be paid to modify or adapt the PLC command instruction sequence.

However, most of the plant control system have a manufacturer-specific interface and communication environment, so that accessing and steering of the plant control system typically requires specialist programmers, and stringent operating environmental control.

Further, using a general-purpose computer for direct process control requires protecting the computer from the plant floor conditions.

In summary, the prior art does not provide a generalized plant control system, which can be easily applied to any manufacturer-specific control system, platform independently, and which copes with the requirements of industrial plant control systems.

However, one of the main drawbacks of the OPC UA remains in the fact that OPC UA allows only to handle and communicate structured data from one OPC UA client to another OPC UA client.

Thus, OPC UA only provides a mere data transport container without allowing to directly control or steer any remote devises, associated with an OPC UA client within the OPC UA network.

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